European arms imports rose 155% in 2020-24 and Ukraine has become the world's biggest arms importer following Russia's 2022 invasion, according to a report released by a leading conflict think tank on Monday.

The new figures clearly reflect the rearmament taking place among states in Europe in response to the threat from Russia,” one analyst said.

The US accounted for the majority of arms imports by European NATO states in the last four years, a Swedish research group found, highlighting their dependence at a time when transatlantic relations are fraying.